House Technology, Economic Development, & Veterans Committee
Event Log
Shelley Kloba — Greeted as Vice Chair.
Shelley Kloba — Greeted as Vice Chair.
Shelley Kloba — Identified as the Vice Chair who will chair the next in-person session.
Michael Keaton — Representative Michael Keaton asks a question about training AI on best practices and how it could improve public records processing.
Michael Keaton — Requested an email response and asked for the current status, use, roadmap, and effectiveness of wildfire detection AI.
Justin Roach — Justin Roach, Spokane County's Information Security Manager, was introduced and then testified about the county's approach to AI. He described the evolution of their AI use, the risks involved, the guardrails they have put in place to mitigate those risks, and the decision to simplify management and reduce risk by allowing only a single generative AI platform.
Sean Dometrovich — Introduced as the IT assistant director for Spokane County Information Technology Department.
Kevin Norris — Introduced as the IT application services manager for Spokane County Information Technology Department.
Yuki Ishizuka — Yuki Ishizuka is introduced and then identifies himself as a senior policy analyst in the Attorney General's office and the Attorney General's representative to the AI Task Force, indicating he will provide the AI Task Force update.
Yuki Ishizuka — Closed his remarks by urging the legislature to preserve state autonomy on AI regulation and thanked the committee.
Yuki Ishizuka — The committee thanked Yuki for his presentation and continued discussing AI policy concerns.
Yuki Ishizuka — Yuki said the task force's work overlaps with legislation introduced in the past session.
Yuki Ishizuka — The chair thanked Yuki and moved to the next update.
Clyde Shavers — The chair recognized Representative Clyde Shavers for an online question, and Shavers began responding by noting he could partly answer as a member of the task force. The discussion then continued by referencing Shavers’s bill and related issues, with Yuki saying the task force planned to discuss additional aspects of transparency and anti-governance connected to the bill.
HB1168 — Mentioned as one of two prior AI bills being further discussed and improved for the next session.
HB1170 — Mentioned as one of two prior AI bills being further discussed and improved for the next session.
Dave Pringle — Introduced as the Policy and Legislative Director of the Department of Commerce and began the broadband funding update.
Aaron Wheeler — Aaron Wheeler was noted as leaving the broadband office at the end of June to pursue opportunities with the Suquamish Tribe, and he was also praised as the third leader of the broadband office who has done a fine job.
Stephanie Barnard — Stephanie Barnard was greeted and acknowledged as the Ranking Member.
Stephanie Barnard — Stephanie Barnard is addressed in a brief appreciative exchange: she is thanked for her support and for helping engage the UTC with policymakers, and then thanked again for coming in person to the work session.
HB1503 — The bill did not pass, which means oversight of the forum is returning to the Washington State Broadband Office.
Robert Thoms — Introduced as the last speaker, Director of Government Affairs from Lumen.
Rob Thoms — Rob Thoms of Lumen Technologies described the company’s role as a fiber and broadband provider, emphasizing its backbone network, early fiber investment, and efforts to work constructively with cities, the broadband office, tribes, Yakima County, and the state library system. He discussed Lumen’s $30 ACP-based affordable option, supported reinstating or renewing the ACP, and argued that incentives are still needed to reach far-flung and underserved areas. Thoms also focused on deployment barriers, including permitting delays, coordination with SDOT/WSDOT and other agencies, and the impact of slow timelines on customers and investment. He said Lumen has worked with the UTC to better identify unserved and underserved areas, and he urged reconsideration of outdated regulatory requirements such as COLR, arguing that legacy rules can hinder investment and that the company is willing to work with lawmakers and regulators on reforms.
Dave Paul — Referenced as having previously mentioned that only four counties may not have had a bid in the project area.
Dave Paul — Dave Paul is first referenced as one of the policymakers at the dais, then speaks to thank the committee for the work session and apologize for not being able to attend in person.
Brianna Thomas — Also thanked the committee for the work session.
Shelley Kloba — Representative Shelley Kloba is called on as the next questioner, and the speaker acknowledges her question, continuing the same exchange without any change in topic.
Shelley Kloba — Identified as having a question.
Shelley Kloba — Asks whether projects from rounds one and two have been built out yet and whether applicants must reapply under new criteria.
Shelley Kloba — Addressed directly in response to her question about the process being redone.
Shelley Kloba — Continues the response to her question about the status of the broadband projects.
Shelley Kloba — Asks whether the four counties without bids affect tribal, low-income, or rural communities.
Shelley Kloba — Addressed by the speaker regarding tribal and low-income communities in the counties without applications.
Cindy Ryu — The speaker referenced a question to Chair Ryu while discussing outreach summaries and follow-up information.
Shelley Kloba — The Chair addresses Vice Chair Shelley Kloba and invites the witness to remain for questions. Kloba then begins her question, noting she has many questions but will narrow them down, and asks about using AI to review permit applications while maintaining efficiency.
Shelley Kloba — Addressed as Vice Chair.
Rob Lloyd — Rob Lloyd is introduced as the City of Seattle’s chief technology officer and director of information technology, then he introduces himself and begins his remarks in that role.
Cindy Ryu — Rob Lloyd references conversations with Assembly Member Ryu about cities and states as laboratories for change.
Cindy Ryu — Addressed as Chair.
Cindy Ryu — Addressed as Chair by the witness.
Cindy Ryu — Chair Ryu is addressed in a continuous exchange in which the speaker thanks her and then continues by referring to what she said while discussing the BEAD program.
Cindy Ryu — Chair Cindy Ryu is addressed and acknowledged in brief opening remarks: first greeted as Chair, then thanked by a speaker addressing the committee.